Observation
by sundroptea
Summary: Sometimes it's better just not to see. [oneshot]


Disclaimer: I own neither the Teen Titans nor anything related to them, with the exception of two small plastic figures of Raven and Starfire which bear them only a passing resemblance. Neither figurine aided in the creation of this story.

Author's Note: This is just a short, little vignette that came to me at three in the morning. The way that Robin and Raven came together was originally included (sometime after she entered his mind and possibly even after Birthmark) but I eventually decided to just leave it as big a mystery to the reader as it is to the other Titans. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

"To see only what is there is to be as blind as the night."

- Annalyn Joie Tran

The others noticed, eventually.

It was the little things. They sat closer to each other then they ever had before. Robin's head bent towards her when he spoke to her about tactics. Cyborg saw her touch his arm after a fight, a comforting touch, it seemed, because Robin looked at her when she did it and his face was soft. Cyborg felt like he had intruded on something, and was disquieted. It was only her hand on his arm, nothing more, so why did he feel like it was everything he should know and everything he didn't?

For a while it seemed that Raven was having more trouble than usual controlling her gifts. Things would explode with greater frequency. Beast Boy hid his herb garden and Cyborg locked away his spare tool kits. It was Beast Boy, surprisingly, who figured out that the destruction was linked with the entrances and exits of their fearless leader. Then, one day, all was calm. Only Beast Boy saw the blush, and the smile. The blush came from Raven, but the smile, a slow wicked curve of the lips, came from Robin. That day it was Beast Boy who broke the bric-a-brac.

The defining moment came the night Starfire went to bring Robin some of the "diluted juice of the bean of caffination" as he pulled yet another of his famous all-night villain research obsessions. He was notorious around the Tower for locking himself away in what Beast Boy had termed the "Bird Cage of Justice" only half jokingly. He went over battle tactics, planned strategies, and just generally ran himself ragged in the newspaper lined room while the others worried seriously about losing limbs should they dare to interrupt. Starfire planned to knock, drop the drink and fly away before the RobinBomb exploded, but was unprepared for what she found. She set the drink down and raised her fist to announce its arrival when she froze.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," came the soft chant from behind the closed door.

Impossible. It simply couldn't be what it sounded like. Robin _never _let anyone into the Birdcage when he was like this and most certainly if he were to choose anyone to share his time of mental flourothant-ingness it would be… Starfire pressed her ear to the metal in an effort to hear more.

"Raven, I let you in here because you promised me that you wouldn't interrupt!" Robin snapped. There was a pause. Starfire inserted a finger into her ear and wiggled it vigorously.

"Look here, Wonder Boy," intoned what was unmistakably Raven's deadpan voice, now dashed liberally with more than a hint of annoyance. "First of all, you didn't 'let' me do anything. I came in here because if I didn't you would now be derangedly in the middle of one of your self-destructive leader behaviors. God, knows we seen enough of them to recognize the signs. Second of all, if _my_ meditation is bothering _your-_mmmph!"

There was a rustling sound and then a moan, and Robin's voice, heavy, elated, taunting: "Then save me from myself."

(another moan)

Come on, free my mind, align my chakras, _find my center_..."

(Raven laughed ((laughed!)) and there was the sound of a small explosion.)

Liked that, did you? But we haven't even dealt with my timid, shrinking nature yet! I think the only cure is to let me work through my issues in a position of control…"

Starfire backed away from the door, without knocking but with her teammates' laughter ringing in her ears.. It seemed that someone was already there, and more importantly, that someone was not her. She could feel heartbreak seep down to her plelnats. She was still Starfire though, so she left the coffee anyway.

The others did notice. They noticed Robin making herbal tea and Raven learning how to drive the R-Cycle. They noticed soft words and secret touches. They noticed Robin relaxing more and snapping less. They noticed Raven's even teeth, because she smiled in front of them. And if they conveniently chose not to notice certain other things, well, perhaps it's to their credit.


End file.
